Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for a working visit to the Republic of Benin, accompanied by six state governors and senior federal government officials, as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s industrialisation and agro-processing agenda.
In a statement, the Vice President’s Media Assistant, Stanley Nkwocha, said the delegation includes Governors Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Dikko Umar Radda (Katsina) and Umar Namadi (Jigawa).
The delegation is expected to tour the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) near Cotonou, where it will engage officials of the Beninese government, investors and private-sector operators overseeing the development of the industrial hub.
According to the statement, the visit is aimed at supporting the implementation of Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme by drawing lessons from Benin’s experience in agricultural value addition, industrial infrastructure, investment mobilisation, skills development and export-driven manufacturing.
Particular attention will be given to the GDIZ textile park, which operates an integrated production chain covering cotton spinning, weaving, fabric processing and garment manufacturing. The 1,640-hectare industrial zone is designed to transform agricultural raw materials into finished products for export.
The visit comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to revive Nigeria’s textile industry, which has suffered decades of factory closures, weak local processing and stiff competition from imported fabrics and garments.
Official data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that Nigeria’s textile, apparel and footwear industry was valued at about ₦8.15 trillion in 2024, while it recorded ₦2.45 trillion in nominal output during the first quarter of 2025.
The delegation is expected to examine strategies for strengthening linkages across Nigeria’s textile value chain, including cotton production, ginning, spinning, textile manufacturing, fashion and export markets. Discussions will also focus on technology transfer, industrial training, modern machinery, reliable power supply, common processing facilities and enhanced public-private partnerships to improve the competitiveness of locally produced textiles.
The visit will further explore how Benin’s industrial model can support the development of Nigeria’s agro-industrial processing zones, including garment training centres and infrastructure for processing agricultural products closer to farming communities.
The initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises industrial revival, economic diversification, agricultural transformation, import substitution, job creation and increased non-oil exports.
The African Development Bank is currently supporting plans to establish a garment training centre under Nigeria’s SAPZ programme in Ogun State.
